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Wodenau said..
Jimmy Lewis 9'3" x 31.5" Destroyer MP (160 litres)

How does Jimmy Lewis do it? Another super light board that compares favourably to my more expensive carbon boards... and for nearly $1k cheaper!

At 110kg this board floated me very well. My feet were out of the water. If you're not a big lump like me this board will feel like an aircraft carrier. In fact, I'd probably elect to step down to the 8'10" model to avoid the 'floating like a cork' effect. However, if you are a big lump and not very experienced then this is your new go to board.

First, the pros. I love a rounded pintail, especially when you have the option to switch between a thruster and quad setup. The Destroyer turned on a 5c piece and glided across the wave beautifully. I tried it in 2' high tide beach break glass, 3' crumbly reef break and 3' clean sucky conditions. The Destroyer performed well in everything. The slight turn-up in the nose helped with steep take-offs and the rail outline and bottom contour made it glide over flat sections like a skateboard.

As I mentioned above, the board is super light and easy to manoeuvre. You can lift it overhead with one hand using the excellent Y-shaped grip. The deck grip goes 2/3 up the board and is comfortable and functional.

If you wanted a one board 'quiver'...this is it!

Second, the cons. No nose riding this one. Look at my previous review on the Jimmy Lewis Striker if you want a nose riding experience. Meh, a minor point as far as I'm concerned. The only other thing you need to know, if this kind of thing worries you at all, is the slightly rounded deck design. It wasn't really an issue for me as I got used to it quickly but there was an initial tippy feeling that lasted only five minutes or so. Easy to get used to and it certainly didn't detract from the boards many advantages and excellent performance.

Final thoughts. In my last review I stated that I'm a dedicated Starboard fan-boi. I kind of still am but I'm wondering why I have four different Starboards when I could happily settle for this one board to replace them. I do like the occasional nose ride but not enough to have a dedicated board for the experience. If you can live without that you can't do much better than owning this piece of equipment.

Well done, Jimmy Lewis. You nearly have me.

Just wondering why so much foam for a 9'3" board 160Lts is massive,can anyone(ROD)please explain why JL has such high volume in his Destroyers ? Except the 10'.

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fester said..

Wodenau said..
Jimmy Lewis 9'3" x 31.5" Destroyer MP (160 litres)

How does Jimmy Lewis do it? Another super light board that compares favourably to my more expensive carbon boards... and for nearly $1k cheaper!

At 110kg this board floated me very well. My feet were out of the water. If you're not a big lump like me this board will feel like an aircraft carrier. In fact, I'd probably elect to step down to the 8'10" model to avoid the 'floating like a cork' effect. However, if you are a big lump and not very experienced then this is your new go to board.

First, the pros. I love a rounded pintail, especially when you have the option to switch between a thruster and quad setup. The Destroyer turned on a 5c piece and glided across the wave beautifully. I tried it in 2' high tide beach break glass, 3' crumbly reef break and 3' clean sucky conditions. The Destroyer performed well in everything. The slight turn-up in the nose helped with steep take-offs and the rail outline and bottom contour made it glide over flat sections like a skateboard.

As I mentioned above, the board is super light and easy to manoeuvre. You can lift it overhead with one hand using the excellent Y-shaped grip. The deck grip goes 2/3 up the board and is comfortable and functional.

If you wanted a one board 'quiver'...this is it!

Second, the cons. No nose riding this one. Look at my previous review on the Jimmy Lewis Striker if you want a nose riding experience. Meh, a minor point as far as I'm concerned. The only other thing you need to know, if this kind of thing worries you at all, is the slightly rounded deck design. It wasn't really an issue for me as I got used to it quickly but there was an initial tippy feeling that lasted only five minutes or so. Easy to get used to and it certainly didn't detract from the boards many advantages and excellent performance.

Final thoughts. In my last review I stated that I'm a dedicated Starboard fan-boi. I kind of still am but I'm wondering why I have four different Starboards when I could happily settle for this one board to replace them. I do like the occasional nose ride but not enough to have a dedicated board for the experience. If you can live without that you can't do much better than owning this piece of equipment.

Well done, Jimmy Lewis. You nearly have me.

Just wondering why so much foam for a 9'3" board 160Lts is massive,can anyone(ROD)please explain why JL has such high volume in his Destroyers ? Except the 10'.

Fester I have commented on this several times I don't know why they can't do a lean version like super frank! The 10 ft destroyer is such a refined longboard sup,Imo not every one wants smaller in length,with to much volume in them.I personally like length of rail line,for straight line paddling,proof of this for me is how well the 10ft surfs (progressively) and yet paddles very straight,even with my **** technique,seriously this board is a classic all ready,and a keeper,what could be better!!! something around9 ft 29-30 115 liters,just saying

The Destroyer was made for the bigger American market initially but then when it came out & was such a huge success & such a great looking & performing board I asked Jimmy if he would make me a 10' foot version but narrower & more performance based because of the renewed interest in Australia (only) of the performance 10' market....There hasn't been the same interest in the US for performance 10' footers as there has been here in Australia... There was only the 10'x31" Striker which was a great "consumer" sized board but not enough performance for the 10' comps so Jimmy was good enough to make me the 10'x29" Destroyer...The first one was a hand shaped custom & then after the response we had he was happy to add it to the range... Hence that's why it's different to the bigger Destroyer's....For me the 7'7" & 10' Destroyers make for a perfect quiver...
A few people have requested a "narrow/lean" size range to be added but at the moment Jimmy doesn't see a reason to plus a lot of paddlers have been so surprised with the stability & performance of the Destroyer they have been able to go down to much smaller sizes than they originally thought possible...If you "fin" it properly it turns into a real performance sup with plenty of stability & float...

I recently pick-up an 8 * 30 Destroyer and I absolutely love it..!!

I have windsurfed for 20+ years and I started SUPing maybe 5 years ago. I started on a too small board and traded it in for a Naish Mana 9,5 * 32. I have since 'stepped down' to a SMIK Hipster twin 8.6 * 31.5 and I do also have a SMIK Style Lord 10 * 29 for the more mellow days. I love my Hipster but I wanted to challenge myself with a smaller board and I found this Destroyer at a reasonable price 2nd hand.

At 93kgs I was initially concerned if the Destroyer would be too small but I find that its very stable for its size. When there is no wind its not a problem at all balancing on it but obviously that becomes a little challenging if there is wind. Having said that, nothing that cant be improved with some TOW...

What really amazes me is how well it paddles and that I can still paddle into relatively fatish waves with no problem at all. Also, compared to my SMIK this board is super light and I can get some really good speed on it (again compared to my SMIK).

Thought Id just share the stoke!!

Any reviews on the 8'10" Destroyer

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fester said..
Any reviews on the 8'10" Destroyer

I have not ridden or even seen one!i personally I love the length,but at 76 kg there is way to much volume for me ,like others waiting / hoping there will be a lean version in time

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justaddwater said..

fester said..
Any reviews on the 8'10" Destroyer

I have not ridden or even seen one!i personally I love the length,but at 76 kg there is way to much volume for me ,like others waiting / hoping there will be a lean version in time

Yes been thinking the same,wondering if the 140lts would be way to Corky @85kg

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fester said..

justaddwater said..

fester said..
Any reviews on the 8'10" Destroyer

I have not ridden or even seen one!i personally I love the length,but at 76 kg there is way to much volume for me ,like others waiting / hoping there will be a lean version in time

Yes been thinking the same,wondering if the 140lts would be way to Corky @85kg

At 85kg you should be on 8'0 or even 7'7 Destroyer. They are incredible stable shapes. I am 108kg and my Destroyer 8'5 is my rough/unstable conditions board.

To be able to shine some light on the Jimmy Lewis8'0 x 30" at 115 liters and how well it performs in Dutch mushy waves did I took some time before I would give my experience on the board.

Stability: Good
It's very easy to stand on the board, also during choppy conditions due to the shape of the board, I still prefer to stand slightly off-balance stance (feet stacked) due to the fact that it's easier to catch waves and it gives more stability, however, the parallel stance is possible as well. With my 80 kg, Icango down in volume on this type of board (planning on buying a 7'7) but I really like it for the winter conditions to have that bit of extra stability and control.

Speed: Moderate to Fast
It's fast and generates easily glide even though it's not the narrowest or fastest board that I have surfed.I can compare the speed to the hypernut that I have. So generating speedsand using the momentum of the glide is definitely not a problem. I run the JL destroyer now on a Quobba Thruster set up,I started with a quad but came back to the Thruster to get more snappy turns, if the waves are bigger and I need more speed I would add the quads again but for now this work very good on the Dutch mushy waves (and also the clean ones). When I tested the 7'7 I noticed some difference in the glide of the board, due to a shorter length and less volume, however, it's obviously snappier down the line.

Paddle speed and tracking: Good
This is one of the reasons I always take out the JL destroyer over the Hypernut because I just have less row effect and the take-off is slightly easier on the JL destroyer. So generating quickly speed with the direction you want is definitely good, I haven't used it on flat water with the kids on it so I can't compare it yet to a board with 160 liters, but it's also not really made for that, even though I think it can work as well, you just need to paddle a bit harder and more. I tested the 7'7 and there is the row effect a little more because it's also a little smaller, however, it's manageable and you can get used to it very quickly with the right paddle technic.

Fun factor: 9 out of 10
It's really fun to surf this board and what they all said about the board is true! It's your "one board that rules them all" or the "one board quiver", so therefore I decided to sell the others (Quatro carve 8'0 and 7'8 hypernut) and get the 7'7 as well. to max out the fun factor from a 9 to a 10. It works for me in all conditions, choppy, windy, clean, you name it. The board turns good and you can turn on the rail but getting your back foot on the tail works also superb. So for me the JL destroyer all day

Conclusion:
My sup surfing has improved on this board the most and I have a lot of fun with it. so yeah, if you are looking for a "one-board quiver", this is the one to recommend. If you are looking for a stable board that can rip, this is also the one to get. I'm on the Jimmy Lewis hype train after trying a lot of different boards I think I wouldn't get another one soon. Even though, I still have my eyes open for a Smik hipster twin to try that one out if it's somewhere available.

In the end, is it just my opinion. I added a picture of last winter

Got me a threat of the Jimmy Lewis and extended my quiver with a red destroyer 7'7 with 100 liters. Quatro and Hypernut out and a second destroyer in.

Yesterday's fun session with it, feel incredibly stable tracks well even though you have a bit more row effect where you need to correct for compared to the 8'0 but that's manageable and easy to adapt to. The other notable difference is the glide, the 7'7 has a noticeable difference of the glide compare to the 8'0, it's significantly less but on the other hand better maneuverable with the shorter length.

Definitely need the traction pads on the red 7'7 as well if you have small waves and need to shift your weight completely to the front. I both run the Destroyers on quobba fins in a thruster set-up, two Large in the front and a medium center fin.




A picture from the last session on the 7'7 100 liter destroyer, Dutch waist high waves :

some sweet looking boards.

Kia Ora
I have the 8ft destroyer and running it with a Quobba set up. I got this board as i wanted a bit of width jumping back to sup surfing from foiling. Bullet proof and rips and allows me to swap between supn , wingin and foiling without too much adjustment. My go to everyday board. Im 98kgs
Chur

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Supmaori said..
Kia Ora
I have the 8ft destroyer and running it with a Quobba set up. I got this board as i wanted a bit of width jumping back to sup surfing from foiling. Bullet proof and rips and allows me to swap between supn , wingin and foiling without too much adjustment. My go to everyday board. Im 98kgs
Chur

I was tempted to try Quobba thrusters on 8' Worldwide -- mind sharing whether you are using M or L and thruster or some kind of custom quad? Thanks

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Supmaori said..
Kia Ora
I have the 8ft destroyer and running it with a Quobba set up. I got this board as i wanted a bit of width jumping back to sup surfing from foiling. Bullet proof and rips and allows me to swap between supn , wingin and foiling without too much adjustment. My go to everyday board. Im 98kgs
Chur

98 kegs on a 8 ft board! What are your vertical stats if you don't mind me askin'.
I mean I'm 85-86Kg and 181cm and can't imagine myself on anything less than a 8'5. But then some people are just damn talented

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bobajob said..

Supmaori said..
Kia Ora
I have the 8ft destroyer and running it with a Quobba set up. I got this board as i wanted a bit of width jumping back to sup surfing from foiling. Bullet proof and rips and allows me to swap between supn , wingin and foiling without too much adjustment. My go to everyday board. Im 98kgs
Chur

98 kegs on a 8 ft board! What are your vertical stats if you don't mind me askin'.
I mean I'm 85-86Kg and 181cm and can't imagine myself on anything less than a 8'5. But then some people are just damn talented

Mate I'm 6ft and my quiver included the the 8'7 sunova Acid x 106L and my 8'5 speeed x 115.my supfoil board the smik 6'6 x 106l..the Destroyer for me is super stable with its added width , wide nose and tail...but still rips in all conditions..easy transition from foiling to surfing too which was slightly harder on the acid especially but also the speeed.
Switching disciplines is smoother now I'm on the destroyer.

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Kisutch said..

Supmaori said..
Kia Ora
I have the 8ft destroyer and running it with a Quobba set up. I got this board as i wanted a bit of width jumping back to sup surfing from foiling. Bullet proof and rips and allows me to swap between supn , wingin and foiling without too much adjustment. My go to everyday board. Im 98kgs
Chur

I was tempted to try Quobba thrusters on 8' Worldwide -- mind sharing whether you are using M or L and thruster or some kind of custom quad? Thanks

What you want, I run it normally with L in the front and M in the back:

Thanks!

you're welcome but they work on those destroyers as quads as well but for waist-to-head high waves I used the thruster set-up when it's overhead or more I use the quad set-up. It's also your own preference of course. Some people only surf quads and others always thruster, with or without Quobba fins, you will always have that discussion.

It's just what gives you confidence and comfort to meet your best surfing abilities, that also for everyone different. So it's more or less experimenting and finding your perfect match of set-up for the conditions that you are riding.

what is the difference between the destroyer and the super frank, im torn between the two. thanks

What length are you considering?as I have only owned a 10 ft destroyer and not ridden a super frank.The Destroyer goes in 1 ft -well over head,and I can only quote the JL info on the Super Frank,a specific small wave groveler I can only imagine the Destroyer will be more all round IMO .

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estingo said..
Some people only surf quads and others always thruster

I am in the "thruster only" camp, but I must say it also depends on your board quiver: With a quiver you tend to specialize boards, as you take each one in more specific conditions, so I have boards that I ended up keeping as quads, because I use them in specific conditions. For me it is:

- my board for micro waves, I need as much speed-generating grip as possible.

- my board for speed (fast section, carves at speed) where grip on the rail and speed is more important than tight turns and looseness.

my 4 other boards are in thruster setup.

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colas said..

estingo said..
Some people only surf quads and others always thruster

I am in the "thruster only" camp, but I must say it also depends on your board quiver: With a quiver you tend to specialize boards, as you take each one in more specific conditions, so I have boards that I ended up keeping as quads, because I use them in specific conditions. For me it is:

- my board for micro waves, I need as much speed-generating grip as possible.

- my board for speed (fast section, carves at speed) where grip on the rail and speed is more important than tight turns and looseness.

my 4 other boards are in thruster setup.

Colas do you use Quads in small waves ?

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Echobch said..
what is the difference between the destroyer and the super frank, im torn between the two. thanks

Hello Echobch, here is the topic to you question between the difference of the Super Frank and the Destroyer: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Why-the-Jimmy-Lewis-Super-Frank-is-the-perfect-summer-board?page=1

In general is the conclusion like justaddwater is saying, the destroyer is more all round. Summary of the thread that I posted above is:
"The 7'6 "Lean" Super Frank is 29.5" wide & 100L & the 7'7 Destroyer is 29" wide & 100L... So almost identical but then surf completely differently... The Super Frank is your "summer fish" & a great 2nd board whereas the destroyer is your 1 board quiver."

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colas said..

estingo said..
Some people only surf quads and others always thruster

I am in the "thruster only" camp, but I must say it also depends on your board quiver: With a quiver you tend to specialize boards, as you take each one in more specific conditions, so I have boards that I ended up keeping as quads, because I use them in specific conditions. For me it is:

- my board for micro waves, I need as much speed-generating grip as possible.

- my board for speed (fast section, carves at speed) where grip on the rail and speed is more important than tight turns and looseness.

my 4 other boards are in thruster setup.

Good summary as well, and I shifted from the quad camp to the thruster camp, because as you said the Quobbas give you in thruster set-up the same speed as a traditional quad setup.

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Gboots said..
Colas do you use Quads in small waves ?

Yes, but only if the tail is wide enough so that I can keep the rear foot between the arch and the kick on the tail pad. Otherwise I find the quad too stiff, and I prefer the rail-to-rail of the thruster.

(I had a central nubster on this pic, but I do not use it anymore, it is not needed on this board)

estingo , thank you

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Echobch said..
estingo , thank you

You're welcome!

From which board are you coming or still surfing? And which sizes are you looking at in general? would be interested to engage on.

What is the thickness of the 7'7 Destroyer and what is the rail shape like ?

It took me some time but here are some picture, I home it's shows what the rail thickness and profile is from the 7'7 destroyer

Thanks Estingo. Appreciate your efforts.
Certainly has a nice shape . Looks quite refined in parts. Reckon would be good for myself and the smallish conditions i surf (even though volume is quite high). I have a 711 Speeed which i took out today in smallish clean conditions . Would be interesting to see if anyone has ridden both these boards . The 711 Speeed is a fantastic board but the 77 Destroyer with extra width may work better in less stable conditions

A small update, I said it somewhere on the forum that the only thing I would change is the deck pad of the Destroyer. The time is now that I have looked into this and yes I gonna change it. I read the forum thread of the "best" deck pad:www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Best-Deck-Pad-?page=2

The reason was that I took the 7'7 for a spin the other day and I slipt several times off the pad, I thought even to wax the pad so I thought now it's time to change this. With the 8'0 I don't really have this problem a lot but if the experience is so good I might well change that one too.

I looked into the Gong, OAM and FCS range, I don't dare to buy the alibabba stuff so I kept it with the 3 that are mentioned in the forum thread above.

I went for a kick pad from FCS and the 3mm dimples roll, so thanks again and kudos to Colas for the note to mention the FCS3mm dimples. When I have replaced it will I post an picture.